Brunel Solar Team unveils new team and celebrates 25 years of innovation

The team members, from various technical fields of study, will dedicate a full year to the development and production of the solar car Nuna 13 and preparation for the championship. Their motivation is deeply rooted in the mission of the Brunel Solar Team: to inspire the world through sustainable innovation. "I want to contribute to the sustainability of the tech industry," says Elias Wawoe, team leader. "The innovations we develop as a team inspire high-tech companies to apply them in their production processes." With seven world titles, the team has achieved impressive results over the past 25 years, although a new victory has been awaited since 2017. This year, therefore, we see it as an extra challenge to restore the track record.

Every two years, the Brunel Solar Team participates in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, a 3,000-kilometer race through the Australian outback. During this world championship, from Darwin to Adelaide, the Delft team competes against forty other teams from around the world. This year, the race brings new challenges due to several rule changes.

"This year, the solar panel can be up to six square meters in size, which is 1.5 times larger than in previous years, while the battery capacity has been reduced to a third of the previous amount," says Daan van den Dries, Chief Engineer. "These changes have significant implications for the shape and design of Nuna 13. Additionally, the race has been moved up by two months, to the end of August, meaning the team will face the Australian winter: the sun will be lower, it's cloudier, and the wind will blow harder from different directions. These conditions force us to continue innovating and push the boundaries."

The team not only inspires tech companies in the sustainable industry but also strives to inform and excite the younger generation about the possibilities of sustainable technology. Each year, they visit various primary and secondary schools of the current team members. "With our project, we aim not only to inspire and encourage companies to innovate more sustainably, but also to show young people how cool technology can be," says Elias. "In a time when technical specialists are in high demand, we hope our school visits contribute to fostering enthusiasm for technology."

The Brunel Solar Team consists of eighteen students from TU Delft with various technical backgrounds. For one year, they put everything aside to work on their solar car, Nuna 13. The team’s goal is to inspire the world in the fields of sustainable mobility and innovation. With Nuna 13, they will compete against forty international teams during the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia in August 2025. Brunel has been the team’s main sponsor since 2022. Brunel connects top specialists with challenging projects.